Airship.



2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Parented Dec. 31, 1918.

J. M. GRIPE.

AIRSHIP- APPLICATION FILED ocr. 6, |917.

Chiot ne gpg AIRSHIP.

APPLICATION FILED 0616.191?.

Patented 1190.311918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

l mventoz nenn estaras narrar ernten.

JACOB M. GRIPE, 0F DES MOINES, IWA.

AIRSHIP.

Specification of Letters atent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918..

Application led October 6, 1917. Serial No. 195,092.

remain at a desired elevation and. consequently, in the event of failure of any important parts of the machine, the machine will drop to the ground. A lighter than air machine, on the contrary, will be maintained at a desired elevation whether or not in motion but is objectionable because of its unwieldy nature.

@ne of the objects of the present invention is to utilize an aeroplane in which the sustaining planes constitute gas holders, the machine also including a propelling screw likewise constituting a gas container so that the machine will not only have the self sustaining characteristics of a lighter than air machine, but can also be manipulated easily and eiiciently as the usual aeroplane.

Vtlith the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

1n the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying the present improvements.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation.

Fig. 4.- is an enlarged view partly in transverse section and partly in elevation of a portion of the propelling` screw.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section 4through a portion of one of the sustaining planes.

Referrnig to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a sustaining plane of any desired proportion, the same being preferably made of thin metal, preferably aluminum and subdivided into a number of small compartments as indicated particularly in Fig. 5.4 These compartments are non-communicating and located in each compartment is an expansible gas container 2 iny communication with an inlet .port `3 which can be supplied With air from any suitable source through a supply tube 1L. A. check valve 5 may be provided, if desired, for preventing the escape of gas from the inflated container. Under normal conditions each container occupies a comparatively small space in its compartment 1nv the sustaining plane but, when gas is directed into the container, said container will be expanded so as to fill every portion of the compartment in which it is located. 1n Fig. 5 two of the gas containers have been shown inflated while a third container has been shown deflated.

1n the machine illustrated three sustaining planes have been shown, the plane 1 being located above another corresponding plane 6 which is similar in construction thereto there being a third plane 7 located some distance below the plane 6 but of the same proportions as the planes 1 and 6 and, like said plane, provided with interior compartments in which are located inflatable gas containers. The several planes are connected at desired points by struts 8 and all of the planes preferably occupy parallel planes. The distance between the planes 6 and 7 is much greater than the distance between the planes 1 and 6 and extending longitudinally of the machine between the planes 6 and 7 is a tubular shaft 9 the middle portion of which is extended through a car 10 preferably located midway between the ends of the machine. 1n the machine illustrated this car is divided into a lower or passenger holding compartment 11 and an upper or baggage compartment 12, the shaft 9 being extended between the two compartments. rlihe car is fixed to certain of the struts fastened to the planes so as to be fixed relative to the planes.

Mounted on those portions of the shaft 9 extending beyond the ends of the car 10 are propeller screws 13. `Each convolution of each of these screws is made up of a series of hollow segments 11i fastened together in any manner desired and provided, at their inner ends, with ports 15 opening into the shaft 9 or into gas conductors 16 arranged in the shaft. Located in each of the segments lll is an expansible gas container 17 into which the ports 15 open and a check valve 18 may, if desired, be provided adjacent each port to prevent the escape of gas by way of the port from the container 17.

It will be understood of course that when the gas containers 17 are inflated they Will completely lill their respective segments 14 and the machine is so proportioned that when all of the gas containers within the i propelling screws and within the sustaining planes are inlated the machine, with its load, will leave the ground. Any suit-- able means, not shown, may be provided whereby the various gas containers can be separately inflated with gas produced by a generator located at any desired point in the machine. Thus while the mach-ine is on the ground only a ew of the gas containers can be inflated but, in beginning a flight, gas may be directed into a sufficient num'ber of containers to neutralize the weight of the machine and cause the machine to rise from the ground. The rotation of the screws will cause the machine to travel forwardly. rudder 19 is mounted at the front end of the machine and can be manipulated in any suitable manner to cause the machine to ascend or descend or to turn to the right or toward the left.

llVhat is claimed is 1. An airship including superposed paral lel sustaining planes, each of said planes being hollow and subdivided into a plurality cit' non-communicating compartments, an expansible gas container within each compartment, and propelling means interposed between and extending longitudinally of the sustaining planes, said means including a screw having each convolution made up of a plurality of hollow segments, and

an expansible gas container vwithin each segment.

2. An airship including superposed sustaining planes, each plane being hollow and subdivided into a plurality of compartments, a propelling screw extending longitudinally of the machine and interposed between the planes, the convolutions of the screw being hollow and subdivided into separate non-communicating compartments, and expansible gas containers within all of the compartments in ,the plane and screw.

3. An airship including superposed hollow sustaining planes, each plane including a plurality of non-communicating compartments, a shaft extending longitudinally ben tween the planes, spaced propelling screws upon the shaft, the convolutions of each screw being hollow and having separate non-communicating compartments therein, andexpansible gas containers within the respective compartments in the planes and screwsg 4. An airship including4 superposed hollow sustaining planes, each plane including a plurality of noncommunicating compartments, a shaft extending longitudinally between the planes, spaced propelling screws upon the shaft, the convolutions of each screw being yhollow and having separate non-communicating compartments therein, and expansible gas containers within the respective compartments in the planes and screws, and a car interposed between the planes and the screws and iixed relative to the planes, said shaft being extended through the car.

in testimony that l claim thevforegoing as my own, l have hereto atlixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JACOB ll/l. @EWE lvlitnesses S. R. Sarnen, T. M. Msenr. 

